India’s island city of Mumbai is all about noise: a constant car-honking stream of vehicles and people. It was silenced for eight hours Saturday as the 2011 Cricket World Cup final was played, but then burst back into life to signal India’s victory. Colorful explosions lit up the skyline as an astonishing number of fireworks were let off, continuing for an hour after the match.

Even after the fireworks had run out, ear-splitting firecrackers kept punctuating the gap between vehicles beeping and drums beating. We went out on to the streets to film near our hotel in Worli, south Mumbai. We saw mopeds buzzing around, mainly ridden by young men, bare-chested and faces painted, with the pillion passenger waving an India flag.

Whole communities that had gathered to watch the game together spilled out of their apartment blocks to celebrate. Some had created posters of the players and were dancing and drinking in front of them, taking photos there because they knew they couldn’t get near the real team in the Wankhede Stadium across town.

At the sight of our camera, the crowd went berserk, clearly desperate to show the world what this victory meant to them. We were mobbed and groped and had to move on.

A 10-minute drive away, we spoke to an equally happy, but more sedate, group from the Sahkar Niwas apartment block in Tardeo. They were jumping for joy by the roadside after watching India’s triumph on a big screen on the roof of their building.

There were more flags and many had marked their foreheads and cheeks with traditional smudges of purple. They ensured my face got painted too.

This is my first visit to India, and although I have heard the phrase “cricket is a religion” many times, you can only truly believe it when you hear the people here tell you. We have spoken to plenty of amateur cricketers playing in Mumbai’s parks this week: they look you in the eye and tell you that star batsman – and local resident - Sachin Tendulkar is God with complete conviction.

The sport unites this nation of more than a billion people. Many of them couldn’t even explain the leg-before-wicket rule, but for India cricket is an expression of national pride.

One resident, partying in the street, said to me that he hoped the world would now realize that India is a future superpower. Others agreed with my suggestion that this sporting success was significant enough to be Mumbai’s first decent morale boost since the dispiriting terror attacks here in November 2008, which left more than 160 people dead and hundreds more wounded.

Perhaps it’s is why one of the more unlikely headlines in the newspapers the next morning said simply: “Thank You” – the Sunday Mumbai Mirror reflecting the appreciation of an entire country.

It’s thanks to India’s captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni - or Midas Singh Dhoni as he’s been nicknamed, because everything he touches turns to gold. Yesterday it was for a match-winning innings and a huge Bollywood-style ending when his big six clinched victory.

It was thanks also to Tendulkar for finally adding a World Cup winner’s medal to his long list of batting records.

And thanks to the entire team for living up to their potential, coping with the pressure and winning cricket’s biggest prize on home soil.

soundoff(60 Responses)

Sridhar - Hydbad

So winning the world cup after decades for a sport that barely half a dozen countries in the world play and we are now calling ourselves superpower. Grow up people. To be a superpower, you need a holistic growth and success in all arenas, not just cricket. It is really shameful in India that the state sponsors only cricket and ignores thousands of athletes competing in other sports and winning medals for our country. These are the true heroes as there is no support from the government, sporting ministry nor any basic infrastructure. These really great sportspersons from India are those that have bought us accolades in Asian / Commonwealth / Olympic games.

As an Indian cricket fan, this is the happiest and proudest moment of my life, seeing India win the World Cup (I was born after 1983). Congrats to Team India, they have made us all proud. It was delightful to watch our Young Brigade chase down all those runs with such composure after Sehwag and Tendulkar departed early. I think the IPL has taught this Indian team how to handle pressure situations. This is a golden era for Indian cricket, with India dominating all forms of the game – tests, ODIs and T20s. Jai ho the IPL and Jai ho Team India!!!

Team India's victory over Sri Lanka has made the country proud.
Winning the World Cup is a great Event.
Australia have dominated this cup for a long period of time.
Now its India's turn. I am very proud to be an Indian.

Everyone must remember that cricket is by chance and hockey is by dance .... !! 🙂 (this is not intended to reduce the contribution of Dhoni- with his mighty winning six, Gambhir and the rest of the team. They played well in the tournament and deserve all adulation!!)

Yes! I witnessed the tremendous achievement by India in the world cup.
Quite few years back infact even till recently was never convinced of Indian cricket team credibility in winning any matches as they always used fumble even for small pressures.
Now what i saw was unbelievable as India is confident of game, confident of themselves, worked like a great team.
I personally felt that this team work( everybody chipping their best) is the key factor deciding the champions from rest.

India is the New CHAMPION...
And yes i would watch most of the cricket matches again till we hold the same magic..( hope forever)

this generation Indian's are much crazy and interested in cricket they waste their money and time in it but they are not crazy and interested in helping poor's ,utilize their time and money for the nation problem,they dont want to do hard work they need money and fame without doing hard work ..

@ Sridhar, – We won the world cup in cricket, absolutely the most popular sport in the country, no sport can even dare compete in any aspect. So please, rather than seeing the negativity just shut up and enjoy it. Stop being a pissy wet blanket.

well if other countries do not like cricket, its not cricket's fault. also most often we compare with what america does. name one team sport in which America pasisonately competes globally ? Sorry, not soccer, america are minnows in soccer. And america football is mainly domestic for americans. If americans can be on cloud nine watching domestic america football, Indianns should not at all be negative about cricket not being played in several nations.

Game like cricket and football are not just sports they are something more. So i can understand people not knowing what the fuzz is about. It is the only opportunity for people who have long been dominated to express that we are champions!! This feeling just makes a simple sports into a cult following.

India rocks and they proved it .. all the pple who are crying India cheated .. SO TELLING ME AUSIES , BRITS, PAKIES , LANKANS, SOUTH AFRICANS AND REST OF OTHER COUNTRIES TOOK BRIBE?? WAOO THEN SHAME ON ALL THESE COUNTRIES

What do you mean Cricket is NOT a world-wide sport?
What do you mean 90% of Cricket fans are Indians?

You need to get out of your shell and look.

Australia, ENGLAND, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, West Indies, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, UAE, have teams that are predominantly Local [natives]. and they do have a good population that follows cricket.

Cricket is a Skill based sport and not all countries that have a team are good enough [91+]. So i only listed the top countries excluding South Asian teams since you are so against us or our colour.

Those countries span Europe, Africa, Australia/NZ and little bit of ME. Obv South asia as well. Now we can also include South America since Guyana and the caribbean area of South america is into Cricket.

If a Sport spanning all Livable continents is Not a World sport, i dont know what is!

Anyways Even if 90% fans were Indian, Who are you to Deny us the pleasure of being a part of a world sport.

@Sridhar – Hydbad, so you rejoice in the 'world series' plays within US and you crib when India wins a world cup played among countries from Asia, Africa, Caribbean, Europe, Australia, NZ etc. The sports men and women who have won in the Olympics and the CWG are also celebrated in India. You dont really have to show your ignorance and hatred by running down Indian cricketers. Try and be something, anything, in life, and you might, just might begin to see that you don't have to be so bitter and a failure. Have a dream, work, and you might succeed, and perhaps be less bitter. Congratulations to all Indians! Well done India!

Luke – tired of CNN covering cricket? It's hard to find on CNN. There are more cricket fans in the world than there are human beings inhabiting the North American continent. Sachin Tendulkar is the world's most popular human. How could CNN call itself a world news source and not cover it?

First, thank you to all the non-Indians for ur wishes and a hearty congratulations to my fellow Indians on a fabulous World Cup win.
May we have the opportunity for many more such occasions.
Second, in response to Sridhar – Hyderabad,
As one of my friends of Facebook rightly mentioned, it is sports that actually brings recognition to a country. I am quite sure an average
Joe in New York or a random Sridhar in Hyderabad might not know the names of the prime ministers / Presidents of Portugal or Argentina, but
will know (at-least I hope) the names of Critiano Ronaldo or Lionnel Messi.
Saying India will be a future superpower just for its cricketing glory is a bit too far-stretched, but at-least people (whoever gets to read newspapers or watch news broadcasts) will get to know of our country and cricket.
Recognition matters.
As for people who think cricket is not a global sport, you have football! Go and enjoy that.
Finally, for us, Indians (who don't crib about state governments and other sports not being as popular to cricket), this is one of the best moments for us as a nation. We finally achieved the elusive "world champion" title and will hope to put up a solid defense on the pacy tracks of Australia and New Zealand.

Congratulations India...Well done. Thanks to all non-indians that have cognratulated Indians. To all the negative people here...grow up, give due where it belongs and see how much you will enjoy the fervor yourself. It is a high we deserved...totally. It was a fantastic final...couldn't ask for a better matched opponent in SL. They played extremely well. It was pure Cricket...( not war ). Thank You to our Cricket team for giving all Indians such a high and total euphoria..Indians ENJOY...you deserve it. JAI HO !!

Congratulations to the World Cup Runners Up and the World Cup Champions. SL and Team India were certainly the best among the fourteen participating teams. Thanks for the wonderful moments of sheer magic and artistry.

while nearly whole of india insulted the memory of 26/11 victims of pakistani terror when the indians let cricket get the better of their common sense, i honored it by using the day for quiet contemplation and not watching pakistani game on tv. to the sponsors, money meant a whole lot than those noble souls who persihed on 26/11. to the indians it did not matter at all. a huge shame on india. it is unpardonable sin, really. for all i care, that world cup can go into arabian sea. and 3 cheers to america for telling moscow olympics to suff it in 1984 for a reason similar to 26/11. and it is precisely because america is the real superpower, and india a mere hellucinating nation of cowards.

@Sridhar – Hydbad: what is more shameful is India has citizens like you, who cant appreciate anything...that is shameful otherwise winning WC is one of the biggest achievement for India...You grow up & start appreciating things, may be you too will get some appreciations in return!

@Sridhar -Hyderabad : do u know anything about cricket??? Be a sportsman first then send your comments. Enjoy and unserstand cricket before you play politics. Just wait and watch next 4years....rest of the world will play...

Cricket is given to India by the English and today India won not only the English but also other super nations to win the world cup. India is the most wealthiest country in the world other than money. When people were riding horses and fighting bulls Indians already knew how to read and write. There is no computer today without an Indian because '0' was invented by Aryabhata an Indian early in the 9 century C.E.

congratulations to India. we must get our facts right though. This is world cup cricket but most of the participants are commonwealth nations with exception of UAE and Netherlands. This time UAE did not make it. The top sporting nations are USA China Russia and Germany and they do not play cricket. Cricket is a wonderful game but there is still the element of luck like in other games like pool, darts, soccer etc. A sports game like squash will have a much lesser element of luck but looking at cricket, the element of luck is larger and does play a factor at the highest level of the game. India are WC champs but don't get too carried away – they lost to SA and almost lost to England. Be humble in victory and prepare to defend the next WC

@Sridhar – Do you know India's population is 1.2 billion ? we are not talking about a game which is followed by 1/2 million people. Cricket is the biggest global game after Football. We don't need your approval.

Congratulations India...and please do not pay attention to the negative. Enjoy and keep doing what you are doing. Your youth is educated and working not just hard but smart. They will take you to where you want to be. People will say negative thing but they are just envious of your potential. Living in the past is keeping then behind, look forward to the future and don't look back. Band thing may happen but good and bigger things will follow just the same. Don't mope on the bad things like the rest and you will A OK! 🙂 Live, Love, Laugh!

Indian team deserved this victory. India is investing a lot of money in the game. Fifty/fifty has produced good batsmen. Let other cricket playing countries learn a lesson. Intelligent investment in cricket can help everyone. Indians won the final only because they lost the toss and were asked by rivals to defend themselves. Cricket is a game of batsmen. Improvement in batting will give us give cricket.

Congrats on the World Cup victory from California! I am American and know some of the joy of cricket from my stepfather (from India). Every culture and country has sports or activities that bind their nation and raise the collective spirit! They worked hard for the victory and deserved it, they should only be supported in enjoying the victory for their country and their people! Congrats again!

Awesome game India just awesome, could not be happier Dhoni and his men won!
Being away from India for more than a decade watching the semi-final victory and finally lifting the world cup once again brought nothing but tears of joy.

Congratulations India and Sri Lanka for a wonderful final.

Sridhar, please do not rain on our parade, we may be crazy but we are crazy to love something. You on the other hand seem to have lost touch of what joy means in cheering for your own country. If you cannot cheer at least do not belittle our joy.

Congrats to India. I don't care much for the sport but I hope this boosts thier confidence as a nation. India has so much more potential than China. Take back Asia! China is a not a sporting nation. China are newbs when it comes to sports. China didn't even have a team in the world cup (soccer). I think China is only good at gymnastics and diving and maybe archery but archery is not really a sport. Would you call half court contest a sport? idk, I wouldn't. US has their fingers in many sports: ice hockey ( right behind Canada), football (uncontested), soccer (not the best but up there), baseball (up there), swimming, basketball (best in the world). Anyways, God(s) Bless India!

@Sridhar – You need more general knowledge. If you dont know about cricket, go to the street corner and ask that pan wala. He will explain it to you. I encourage you to learn about cricket, and more than that you should learn how team work and a decision making leader helps to achieve results and how it has an indirect benefit in projects.

It was great to see India win – finally !!! We all were waiting for this time to come and it came, but with the twists thrown in . At one stage India were 31-2 chasing 275 with Sachin and Sehwag gone. But great play by Gambhir, Virat and Dhoni ensured India reached home... and then it was just euphoria .. Wow!!

THIS IS FOR: Sridhar – Hydbad
offcourse u gna react like dat coz pakistan lost n if they had won u wouln't have said any of those things..am i rite?? offcourse i knw u ppl filled wid hatters n jealousy...just bcoz of dat INDIA WON....buddy...
i still called u buddy after u saying mean things....dats how we indians are gud 4m d heart n outside...
any how if u dnt knw..look at american superballs...the team goes against each other same country n states..

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About Alex Thomas

Alex Thomas is a sports correspondent and anchor with CNN International, working out of the company’s London office. As well as reporting from the 2009 and 2010 Champions League finals, in Rome and Madrid, Alex has been CNN’s man on the ground at the Wimbledon and French Open tennis Championships, Vancouver Winter Olympics and the football World Cup in South Africa. He has also interviewed world sports celebrities like Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, Padraig Harrington, Arsene Wenger, Ji-Sung Park, Michael Ballack and Serena Williams.